Mercure Brussels Centre Midi

The only real convenience was being close to the train station, and the surrounding area didn’t feel very safe. I was woken at 2:30 a.m. when a couple came into my room while I was asleep. Reception had apparently given them my room at check-in, and I was shocked to wake up to them there. When I brought it up the next day, the reception staff neither acknowledged the mistake nor apologized. The rooms also have poor sound insulation, so noise carries from the corridors, lifts, other rooms, and the street. A very bad experience. I wouldn’t recommend this hotel.

The room was clean and the facilities were very good. There’s no restaurant, but you can order from a small menu to your room, and breakfast is available too. The gym and spa stay open until 10 p.m., though our schedule was too busy for us to try them. Service was good for the price. It’s convenient if you’re travelling from Midi, and two metro stops get you to the center. At the moment, construction has left barely any sidewalk leading to the hotel. The area is usually crowded, dirty, and affected by poverty, though that isn’t the hotel’s fault.

Construction across the hotel began around 6 a.m. and made it impossible to sleep. A good night’s rest is the most basic purpose of a hotel, and we didn’t get that. I hadn’t been told about the work in advance. When I raised it with the hotel, they said they could refund only 30% of what I’d paid. That didn’t seem fair or logical when the room couldn’t be used for its main purpose. I’ve attached a video showing the noise. Very disappointing.

The staff were lovely and really helpful. The wellness center was a highlight, with a sauna, steam room, and hot tub, and there’s also a small but usable gym. Rooms are standard, a decent size, and have comfortable beds. It’s easy to reach the tourist areas, with tram stops around the corner and the train station a short walk away. The neighborhood is quite unclean and doesn’t feel very nice, though it wasn’t a big problem since we were out and about most of the time.